Electrical connector



June 20, 1961 R. c. WOOFTER 2,989,724

ELECTRICAL CONNECTOR Original Filed April 28, 1954 INVENTOR. ROBERT C. WOOFTEE ATTORNEY United States Patent This invention relates to electrical connectors adapted for providing connection or disconnection between one or more electric circuits. More particularly, the invention concerns an electrical connector providing for connecting together the ends of wires in making electrical circuit to electrically operated devices.

This is a continuation of application, SN. 639,103, filed February 8, 1957, now abandoned, which was a divisional application of copending parent application S.N. 426,118, filed April 28, 1954.

An object of the invention is to provide a simplified form of electrical connector that will satisfactorily eifect connection between the ends of wires for electric circuits.

Another object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector in which the terminal portion of the connector is locked within an electrical insulating body.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electrical connector that can be produced at lower manufacturing cost and with a minimum quantity of material with a minimum waste of stock being effected.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred form of the invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional view of a multiple electrical connector block in which both female and male terminals are mounted in separate insulating blocks.

FIGURE 2 is a plan view of a female connector used in the terminal block shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a plan view of a male terminal used in the connector block shown in FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of a blank from which the terminal of FIGURE 2 is formed.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of a blank from which the terminal of FIGURE 3 is formed.

FIGURE 6 is a transverse cross sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIGURE 1.

- The electrical connector shown in FIGURE 1 is a simplification of the electrical connector disclosed and described in the copending application of Elbert L. Johnson, Serial Number 186,023, filed September 21, 1950, now Patent 2,682,038 issued June 22, 1954. The connector of this invention is constructed in a manner to substantially reduce cost and use less material in the manufacture of the terminal members.

In this invention, the electrical connector includes at least one body made of electrical insulating material. One such body 70 has a through passage 1112 that extends longitudinally of the body. A female terminal member b is adapted to be inserted into the passage 11b through the end 12b. This terminal member is locked within the passage 11b in a manner described fully in copending parent application S.N. 426,118 filed April 28, 1954.

Terminal member 15b as shown in FIGURES 2 and 4 has a base portion 21b including a pair of side wings 30b and 31b extending from opposite sides thereof. These side wings 30b and 31b are reversely bent upon themselves, as shown in the copending application SN.

ice

426,118, to place their longitudinal edges 32b and 33b; respectively in close proximity to the base 21b so that a male spade terminal 80 can be received between the wing, edges 32b and 33b and the base 21b, shown in FIGURE- 1, whereby to make electric conductive contact.

The terminal member 15b thus includes a wire receiving portion 34b that includes several side flanges22b, 23b, 26b, 27b to engage insulated conductor 14b and the base portion therebetween and a terminal portion 36b that includes the wings 30b and 31b and the base' portion therebetween.

A tang 35b extends longitudinally from the wire receiving portion 34b of the terminal member 15b. Thistang is bent angular relative to the base portion 21b, as

shown in FIGURE 1 and provides a stop to position the:

base portion 21b and projects from the base on the same side as the tang 35b. The prong 40b and the tang 35b cooperate with the connector body 70 to longitudinally.

position the terminal member 15b within the passage 11b in the connector body 70, as shown in FIGURE 1.

In FIGURE 1 there is shown an electrical connector for making multiple electrical connections wherein the female terminals are carried in a connector body 70 and the male electrical terminals are carried in a connector body 75. The female terminals carried in the connector body 70 are identical with the terminal connector further disclosed and described with copending parent application S.N. 426,118 filed April 28, 1954. Hence the elements of the connector body 70 that are identical with the elements of the connector as well as the body portion for this connector shown in this parent application are identified by the same reference numerals but with the suffix b.

The male terminal members 80 carried within the connector body are shown in FIGURE 3 and are formed from a blank shown in FIGURE 5. The terminal member comprises a wire receiving portion 81 and a terminal portion 82 that are disposed at opposite ends of the base portion 83 of the terminal 80. The terminal portion 82 of the terminal 80 comprises a flat spade terminal 84 having a tapered edge 85. An opening 86 is placed in the spade terminal portion 84 for engagement by the detent 55b of the female member 15b, as shown in FIG- URE 1.

to encircle the insulating sheathing 89 of a Wire 90. A second pair of side flanges 91 and 92 engage the conduit wire 93 to make electrical connection therewith, as shown in FIGURE 1.

adapted to provide a stop to position the terminal member 80 within the connector 75, as shown in FIGURE 1. A resilient prong is formed by a laterally and longitudinally extending recess or cut-out 100a clearly shown in FIGURES 3 and 5 and the prong extends down? wardl'y from the base portion 83 on the same side as the tang 95 and is adapted to cooperate with the tang to lock the terminal 80 against longitudinal movement in' the connector body 75.

The connector body 75 has a through passage 101 to receive the terminal member 80. The side walls 102 and' 103 of the passage 101 have the longitudinally and laterally extending grooves 104 and 105 that receive the longitudinally and laterally extending flanges or projections 106 and 107 respectively. The projections 106 and 107 prevent transverse movement of the terminal portion 82 of the terminal 80 whereby to maintain the resilient prong 100 in engagement with the shoulder 110 provided in the bottom wall of the passage 101.

When the terminal 80 is inserted into the passage 101,

' Patented June 20,

The wire receiving portion 81 of the terminal 80 includes the first side flanges 8-7 and 88 that are adapted A tang 95 is formed downwardly from" the base portion 83, as shown in FIGURE 1 and is:

the tang 95 engages the recessed wall 111 in the connector body 75 so that the tang 95 and the prong 100 cooperate in their engagement with the connector body 75 to prevent longitudinal movement of the terminal 80 in the passage 101 and lock the same therein.

While the embodiments of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitute a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted.

Whatis claimed is as follows:

1. An electrical connector to effect connection between ends of wires for electric circuits, comprising, a body of insulating material having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough to receive an electrically conductive terminal member therein, sidewalls of said body passage having longitudinally and laterally extending grooves therein to receive laterally and longitudinally extending projections of the terminal member, a lateral shoulder formed with one of the said longitudinally extending grooves intermediate the ends of the passage, and a bottom wall of said body having a recess adjacent one end of the passage, the recess and said lateral shoulder being engageable by a tang and a prong respectively of the terminal member while the projections thereof engage the insulating body grooves so as to prevent longitudinal movement and transverse movement respectively of the terminal member in said insulating body, said terminal member including, a base having a wire receiving portion at one end thereof, a terminal portion at the opposite end of the said base including a flat spade having a tapered edge extending transversely thereof, a tang at the wire receiving end thereof formed angular to said base and projecting from the side thereof opposite to that engaged by the wire disposed on said wire receiving portion, said tang cooperating with said bottom wall recess of said insulating body, and a resilient longitudinally extending prong formed laterally offset of the center of said terminal member cooperating with said lateral shoulder, said base extending longitudinally through the passage and laterally thereof into engagement with the longitudinally extending grooves with said insulating body.

2. A male contact terminal member adapted to fit into an insulating body, comprising, a base having a wire receiving portion at one end thereof, a terminal portion at the opposite end of the said base including a flat spade, a locking tang portion at the wire receiving portion thereof and projecting therefrom in an angularly displaced direction, a pair of flanges extending integrally outwardly adjacent to an end of said wire receiving portion remote from said locking tang portion, said flanges having a position whereby each is located longitudinally and laterally relative to said base, and a resilient prong extending longitudinally of as well as laterally to one side from said base, said prong being defined and made resilient by provision of a slot in one of said flanges, said slot extending from a laterally outer edge of said one of said flanges at a location adjacent to the location where said flanges and wire receiving portion meet, said slot extending laterally and longitudinally inwardly from the edge relative to the flat spade and terminating therein at a location spaced longitudinally away from said wire receiving portion and locking tang portion, said locking tang portion and said prong adjacent to the longitudinal and laterally extending slot in said One of said flanges serving for anchoring said male contact terminal member against longitudinal and lateral movement in the insulating body.

3. An electrical connector to effect connection between ends of wires for electric circuits comprising, a body of insulating material having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough to receive an electrically conductive terminal member therein, sidewalls of said body passage having longitudinally and laterally extending grooves therein to receive laterally and longitudinally extending portions of the terminal member, said terminal member including a base having a wire receiving portion at one end thereof, a terminal portion at the oppoiste end of the said base including a flat spade, a. locking tang portion extending rigidly and angularly offset from the wire receiving portion thereof and adapted for engaging a sidewall of said body passage, said terminal member having flange portions having a position whereby each is located longitudinally of and laterally to one side from said base and engages a longitudinally and laterally extending groove and a prong adapted as a spring finger and made resilient relative to said base and one flange portion by a slot, said slot extending from a laterally outer location in said one of said flange portions from a position where said one of said flange portions meets said wire receiving portion, said slot extending laterally and longitudinally inwardly from said one of said flange portions relative to said flat spade and terminating therein at a location spaced away from said wire receiving portion and said locking tang portion, said locking tang portion and said prong adjacent to the longitudinal and laterally extending slot in said one of said flange portions serving for anchoring said terminal member against longitudinal and lateral movement in the passage of said body of insulating material.

4. An electrical connector and insulator assembly comprising an insulator housing having a passage extending longitudinally therethrough, opposed longitudinally extending grooves along said passage and disposed laterally thereof, a lateral shoulder in said housing intermediate the ends of said passage, said shoulder formed alongside one of said grooves and depending therefrom; a metal connector terminal in said passage having a wire receiving portion at one end, an intermediate base portion and a flat connector portion at the other end; the base portion having transversely extending parts engaging said grooves to transversely position said connector, said base further having an integral resilient prong formed from the lateral edge of said base and resiliently engaging the shoulder to prevent longitudinal displacement of the connector in one direction, stop means preventing longitudinal displacement of the connector in the opposite direction, said prong being defined and made resilient by a slot in the base portion, said slot extending laterally inwardly from an edge of said base portion and longitudinally toward the fiat connector portion to form the prong and longitudinally and laterally dispose the prong from the remaining part of said base portion to prevent binding therebetween.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,169,219 Brownstein Aug. 15, 1939 2,257,317 Wade Sept. 30, 1941 2,380,916 Beal Aug. 7, 1945 2,468,368 Jackson Apr. 26, 1949 2,603,679 Pavlinetz July 15, 1952 2,682,038 Johnson June 22, 1954 2,741,747 Woofter Apr. 10, 1956 

